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Hydroponic
Questions and Answers |
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What is
hydroponics?
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Why grow hydroponically
at all?
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What are
the advantages of hydroponics over soil?
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What kind
of plants can be grown hydroponically? |
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Can hydroponic
plants be organic?
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Wil the flavor
of hydroponic produce compare to veggies from my
outdoor, organic garden?
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Introduction to Hydroponics
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Overview |
| A
Brief History |
| How
to Grow Hydroponically |
| Growing
Medium |
| Light |
| Nutrients |
| Ventilation
and Carbon Dioxide |
| Temperature |
| Our
Package Systems |
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What is hydroponics? |
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Hydroponics is the method of growing plants without
soil. Instead of nutrients in the soil, plants thrive
on a nutrient solution which contains the minerals
that the plants need. So, rather than searching
throughout the soil for minerals, your plants are
able to get nutrients easily, directly from the
nutrient solution. Grow media -- such as gravel,
peat, vermiculite, Perlite, coco, old rubber tires,
rockwool or expanded clay aggregates -- is often
used to support the plants and their root systems
and perhaps to hold moisture around the roots. The
growing medium is not a source of nutrients in itself.
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Why grow hydroponically at all? |
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Hydroponic gardening is an easy, environmentally
sound way to grow a wide variety of healthy plants.
It offers numerous benefits including:
- Plants grow up to 50% faster than in soil because
they have easy access to food and water.
- It is possible to garen indoors all year round
- Nutrients are directly available to plants
and don't get bound up
- Little or no pesticides are necessary. Plants
start out in a disease-free medium.
- Smaller containers can be used because the
roots can grow without being rootbound
- Gardening is possible where it would not be
normally e.g. poor soil, rocky areas, even balconies.
With the use of artificial lighting it is even
possible to successfully garden in a spare room
or garage.
- Less labor is required than growing in soil
because no digging or weeding is required.
- Since plants do not need to compete for nutrients,
more can be grown in a smaller area.
- The increased control over growing conditions
makes it easier to provide the best possible environment
for plants, leading to better quality produce
and higher yields.
- Fast growing healthy plants grown by hydroponic
methods are more resistant to pests and diseases.
- You will also notice improved flavor and texture
in hydroponically grown fruit and veggies
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What are the advantages of hydroponics
over soil? |
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Plants grown in hydroponic systems maintain optimum
nutrient and moisture levels, so they grow faster
and healthier. And no soil means no weeds and no
soil-born pests or diseases. Another advantage is
that root systems stay smaller on hydroponically
grown plants, allowing the plant to focus its growth
energy on producing plant mass rather than roots.
This means you can have more plants per square foot
of growing space. And since hydroponic plants never
get root bound, they don't need to be repotted.
Hydroponic produce has a longer shelf life than
soil grown produce.
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What kind of plants can I grow
with hydroponics? |
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Just about anything, although some plants are more
delicate or require more space than others. Here
some of the veggies we suggest: tomatoes, sweet
peppers, cucumbers, squash, snow peas, beans, spinach,
lettuce, chard, hot chilies, and broccoli. Also,
you can grow all kinds of herbs, flowers and house
plants in your hydroponic garden.
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Can hydroponic plants be organic? |
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Yes. Although the two growing methods were at one
time thought to be incompatible, there is common
ground. Hydroponic growing is based on immediate
and 100% nutrient availability. Organic fertilizers
typically break down over a period of time via bacterial
action in the soil. There are many hydroponic nutrients
on the market that are made from organic materials,
and as the science progresses, more and more organic
options are being put forward. The best organic
nutrient on the market right now is the
Botanicare Line.
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Will
the flavor of hydroponic produce compare to veggies
from my outdoor, organic garden? |
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Don't be surprised if your hydroponic vegetables
taste better than the ones from your garden. Because
hydroponically grown plants get everything they
need, when they need it and without stress they
are able to grow much healthier than their organic
cousins. Remember with soil, important micronutrients
are often "locked away" where your plants
cannot take full advantage of them. That's why hydroponics
is so great! You have complete control over the
type and quantity of minerals your plants are feeding
on. This advantage often produces fruits and vegetables
that are far superior to organic produce in taste,
color, size and even, nutritional value. You will
also get more than you ever have before!
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Overview
Hydroponics is simply the growing of plants without
soil. Plants are grown in an inert medium and fed
a solution containing a perfected mix of primary,
secondary and micro-nutrients. Hydroponics makes
it possible to grow plants in locations where it
had not previously been possible, for example on
rooftops, or in rocky, barren locations. With the
use of an appropriate HID lamp, it is even possible
to grow successfully indoors.
Almost any kind of plant can be grown hydroponically,
and because plants have access to the exact nutrients
they need, they respond by growing more rapidly
while producing bigger yields. Field tests have
shown that hydroponically grown produce is packed
with more vitamins and minerals than soil grown,
either organic or non-organic. Not only are nutritional
values higher, but the flavors are also outstanding.
Since plants start out in a disease and pest free
medium, little or no pesticides
are necessary.
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A Brief History
Although hydroponics is the farming method of the
future, it has been utilized for hundreds and hundreds
of years by many different kinds of people. As noted
in Hydroponic Food Production (Fifth Edition, Woodbridge
Press, 1997, page 23) by Howard M. Resh: "The hanging
gardens of Babylon, the floating gardens of the
Aztecs of Mexico and those of the Chinese are examples
of 'Hydroponic' culture. Egyptian hieroglyphic records
dating back several hundred years B.C. describe
the growing of plants
in water.
Over the last hundred years, scientist and horticulturists
have experimented heavily with hydroponics. The
goal has been to grow fresh produce in areas of
the world without soil. Hydroponics was used to
feed troops in WWII, and it has been integrated
into the space program. More recently it has been
adopted by farmers and hobbyists who see the value
of hydroponic growing, including the ability to
produce higher yields, with less pesticides and
less water waste.
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How to Grow Hydroponically
In order to have your own automated hydroponic system
you need several key things; a reservoir to hold
nutrient, a pump to circulate the nutrient, and
growing trays and pots for the plants to be held
in.
You can build your own system, and many growers
do, using miscellaneous equipment from a hydro shop
and the local hardware store. Or you can choose
to purchase a pre-buit system. Hydroponic systems
can range in price and sophistication from under
a $100 to several thousand. It all depends on the
scale at which you intend to grow and the environment
you need to produce for your plants.
If you wish to grow only one or two plants, we
suggest a smaller scale system such as the SoloGro,
the WaterFarm or the Baby Bloomer.The SoloGro comes
equipped to hold four plants. The Baby Bloomer comes
equipped to grow up to six plants. But one or two
plants would do GREAT in any of these systems. If
you wish to grow six to eight plants, you might
check out the MicroGardens. If you are looking for
eight large plants, we suggest a WaterFarm? Kit
which consists of eight planters and a large master
nutrient controller.
Another option would be the American Hydroponics
3x3 ebb & flow System. You can fit many smaller
plants in the 3x3 trays, or you could fit ten larger
plants.
If you wish to go the absolute cheapest route, you
can always hand water your plants in a mixture of
perlite and vermiculite. This is still hydroponic
and will still yeald better than handwatered soil
plants. If you wish to go this route, Check out
Ready-GroŽ Potting Mix .
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Growing Medium
An inert growing medium is used in the pots to support
plants and protect roots from the sunlight. It gives
the roots something to hold on to. Plants need air
just as much as they need water, and the key element
to a successful grow medium is its ability to hold
an abundant amount of oxygen as well as ample amounts
of water. A grow medium must drain well and provide
good conduction of nutrient and moisture to the
root zone. Common materials are expanded clay (Hydroton)
and Rockwool, but sand, gravel, or a mixture of
perlite and vermiculite can be used as well.
Click here to learn more about choosing a grow medium.
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Light
Light is not an issue for outdoor plants, but
in order for sun-loving plants to thrive indoors,
artificial light of the correct spectrum and intensity
must be supplied. This is accomplished with High
Intensity Discharge (HID) Lights. There are two
types of HID lights, Metal Halides (MH) and High
Pressure Sodium (HPS), and they both cover a different
part of the light spectrum. MH lights reproduce
the blue end of the spectrum and are used for young
plants in the vegetative state as well as for leafy
green vegetables such as lettuce and spinach. HPS
lights are used for plants which will eventually
produce fruit or flowers, such as tomatoes or roses.
Click herefor more information about horticultural
lighting and how to choose the best light for your
needs.
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Nutrients
Proper nutrient formulation is essential to hydroponics.
All minerals that the plants need are dissolved
in water which is then circulated through the system
to the plants. The nutrient solution is monitored
for both pH level and nutrient levels which are
maintained at optimum levels. The pH of a solution
selects what nutrients will be readily absorbed
by a plant?s root system and should be adjusted
according to what plants are being grown.
Click here for more information about Nutrient and
pH.
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Ventilation and Carbon Dioxide
The current of air that circulates around plants
is as important in a grow space as light, water,
or nutrients. Proper ventilation removes excess
heat and humid air, while providing plants with
healthy supplies of CO2, which plants need to thrive.
CO2 enrichment can be used to further increase plant
health and vigor. Click here to learn more about
ventilation and Carbon dioxide.
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Temperature
Plants are heat and cold sensitive just like people.
Most indoor grow rooms get plenty of heat from the
lamps, although greenhouses often need heating in
the winter. In most situations, proper venting can
keep temperatures from getting too high, however
if a room is running more than 3000 watts of light,
and /or is employing CO2 enrichment, an air conditioner
might be necessary.
Click here to learn more about temperature control
in grow room environments.
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Our Package Systems
We have created a series of six different package
systems on a scale of hobby to professional. Click
on the links to see the first two of these systems,
for a good idea of what your growing system might
entail.
Package System 1
A great ebb & flow system for a beginning or small
scale grower. Simple to set up and use, this system
is ready to go right out of the box! We include
just about everything you need to get started, including
the hydroponic system, a pump, light and nutrient
monitoring capabilities.
Package System 2 - Drip System or Ebb & Flow
This system is an upgraded version of the original
starter set. It allows for more options and upgrades,
and it may be ordered as either an ebb and flow
OR a drip system. This is an excellent budget system
with a few extra tools. It includes nutrient monitoring
capabilities as well as a more powerful pump for
greater aeration.
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